Visual content indicator



June 1, 1937. A. BERMAN VISUAL CONTENT INDICATOR Filed March 10, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

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- A. BERMAN VISUAL CONTENT INDICATOR Filed Mam 10, 1936 2 Sheelis-Sheet2 ze l E E .zz 32 mm AaoL PH BER/VAN JNVENTOR. 83M M ATTORNEY PatentedJune 1, 1937 UNITED STATES VISUAL CONTENT INDICATOR Adolph Berman, NewYork, N. Y.

Application March 10,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an indentification device whereby the consumerof bottled beverages may control the genuineness of the bottled goods.

An object of this invention is to provide a two-ply label having aplurality of ribbons pasted in spaced parallel horizontal relationtherebetween.

Another object of this invention is to use variously colored ribbons,each color being at a difierent elevation on the label and designating aremainder-level of the contents of the bottle.

Another object of this invention is to perfor-ate the outer ply of thelabel at the upper and lower elevations of each ribbon so as to permiteach ribbon to be torn out from between the two plies while the portionof the inner ply in the back of each ribbon remains intact.

Another object of this invention is to attach the ribbons only to theouter ply by applying glue to the rear face of the outer ply of thelabel while the front face of the inner ply of the label in the rear ofthe ribbon is without glue.

Another object resides in providing indicia and apertures in the innerply of the label rearwards of the ribbons. The. indicia and the level ofthe remainder of the liquid becomes visible only after a ribbon isremoved.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will behereinafter more particularly described, and the combination andarrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bottle having an embodiment of theinvention applied thereto, the bottle being full.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the bottle shown in Figure 1, with theupper content indicator removed and showing indicia and theremainder-level of the beverage in the bottle.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the content indicator, the sectionbeing taken as on line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View of the content indicator, the sectionbeing taken as on line 44 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a' bottle having a modified contentindicator applied thereto.

1936, Serial No. 68,057

Figurefi is a rear elevation of the bottle shown in Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a front elevation of a further modification of contentindicator.

In the illustratedembodirnent of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2,the numeral H) indicates a bottle made of transparent material and usedfor containing spirituous liquors which may be retailedby the glass,from the bottle, for immediate consumption. I

. As shown in Figure 1, the bottle H] is entirely filled, preferablywith some proprietary liquid, the manufacturer of which does not desireto have counterfeited and sold from refilled bottles which formerlycontained the genuine liquid. Secured to the bottle H], as by pasting,is a label ll of substantiallythe same height as the bottle. The label Hcomprises a front ply l2 having at its upper elevation two lines ofperforations J3 and I4 extendingentirely across thelabel. The

lines of perforations l3 and M are positioned in parallel'andadjoiningrelation. As shown in the cross-sectional view inFigure 3, thelabel Hincludes a rear ply l5, glued to the bottle- H). A ribbon it has beenpositioned between the plies l2 and l5.' The ribbon is pasted to therear face of the front ply l2 but not to the rear ply l5. Each endportion of the ribbon i6 is shown as projecting outwardly from beneaththe label. v

The width of the ribbon I6 is the same as the distance between thecenter lines of the perforations l3 and I4 and when an end portion ofthe ribbon is' grasped and forcibly pulled, a ribbonlike portion of thefront ply l2 of the label is torn off. i

Referring to the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 4, it will be seenthat the rear ply l5 has apertures ll, ll, spaced so as to be rearwardsof the ribbon l6, and as shown in Figure 2. When the ribbon is torn ofitogether with a ribbon-like portion of the front ply E2, theremainder-level of the liquid becomes visible through said apertures andthe consumer has a positive indication that the level in that particularbottle must never be higher than that of the removed ribbon. It is thusnot possible to refill the bottle to the former level with counterfeitliquid without the counterfeit being detected by the consumer.

The invention consists in providing on the bottle ID a series ofcontent-indicators l8, l9 and 20, from an upper to a lower level of thebottle. The said content-indicators are to be detached from the bottleseparately and successively to indicate the varying levels of the liquidwithin the bottle as the same is intermittently poured from the bottle.

The individual content-indicators of the series are substantially whollyconcealed below the label, and will be protected from accidental damagein handling and shipping of the bottles.

The ribbons are preferably variously colored such as gold, blue and red,the red ribbon being at the lowest elevation. When the contents of thebottle is sold down to the level of the gold colored content-indicatorl8, it is detached from the bottle. In a similar manner the succeedingcontent-indicators l9 and 20 are detached as the level of the liquid inthe bottle approaches the bottom of the bottle.

As shown in Figures 1 and. 2, the level-indicators I8, l9 and 20 are ofnarrow strip formation and the label H has portions 33, 34 and 35intermediate said level-indicator strips which remain intact on thebottle I, after the said strips are removed. It is also to be noted thateach of the level-indicator strips is integrally and separably connectedwith said intact portions of said label but wholly unattached all alongits length to the bottle and including both end portions of said strips.

It is to be noted that the content-indicators are to be removed in thepresence of the consumer who will be interested in noting that theindicators are detached as the predetermined levels are reached.

It would be impossible to again use an emptied bottle for the saidproprietary liquid in connection with consumers who were aware of thesignificance of the content-indicators and convince such consumers thatthe contents of the bottle were the genuine liquid and not acounterfeit.

Figures 5 and 6 show modified form of label 2|, having only one ply anda series of contentindicators 22, 23 and 24. Figure 5 shows the positionwhere the topmost content-indicator 22 has been removed and where acomplete ribbonlike horizontal portion of the transparent bottle isexposed and through which the level of the liquid is seen. The customerknows that the liquid may drop further towards the bottom but must notrise.

Figure '7 shows further modification of -content-indicator 25 of one plyand having contentindicators 26, 21 and 28 defined by 'ellipticallyarranged perforations and having ribbons 29, 30

, and 3| arranged in vertical relation.

It is to be noted that the invention prevents fraud both against theGovernment and the dis tiller of liquor and assures the sale of genuineproprietary beverages to the public.

I claim:

1. A level indicator for bottled beverages, comprising a two-ply labelglued to a bottle and hav ing in its outer ply a plurality of spacedsets of two adjacent parallel lines of perforations, a plurality ofribbons respectively pasted to the rear face of the front ply of saidlabel intermediate each two adjacent lines of perforations, at least oneend portion of each of said ribbons projecting outwardly from beneathsaid label, the rear ply intermediate said perforations having aperturemeans and indicia whereby when an end portion of one of said ribbons isgrasped and forcibly pulled, a ribbon-like portion of the front ply ofsaid label is torn ofi and a clear portion of said bottle and indiciabecomes exposed and the remainder-level of the beverage becomes visiblethrough said aperture means, said ribbons being substantially concealedintermediate said plies.

2. In combination with a transparent bottle, a two-ply label having aseries of level-indicators in its outer ply and removable therefrom,said level-indicators being positioned at regular spaced intervalsextending from a level at the top of the bottle to a level at the bottomof the bottle, said level-indicators being of narrow strip formation,said label having portions intermediate said level-indicator stripswhich remain intact on said bottle after said level-indicator strips areremoved, each of said level-indicator strips being integrally connectedwith said label but wholly unattached all along its length to saidbottle and including both end portions of said strips, the rear plyportions behind said strips having indicia portions and window portionswhich are normally concealed by said front ply.

3. A level indicator for bottled beverages, comprising a two-ply label,one of said plies being glued to said bottle and the other of said pliesbeing partially glued and in superposed relation with said firstmentioned ply, said superposed ply having parallelly spaced portionsunglued to said bottle adjoining ply, and means defining said portionsto permit their removal in ribbonlike form, the rear ply portions behindsaid unglued portions having indicia portions and window portions whichare normally concealed by said unglued portions of said front ply.

ADOLPH BERMAN.

